Apparatus for making wire mesh



Dec. 13, l1938. H. E. WHITE 2,140,488

APPARATUS FOR MAKING WIRE MESH v Filed April zo, 193e 15 sheets-sheet 1 De. 13, 193s. A H. E. WHITE Filed April 20, 1936 APPARTUS FOR MAKING WIRE MESH 15 sheets-Sheep 2 n v l Dec.' 13, 1931s.A 'Hg E, WHITE 2,140,488

APPARATUS FOR MAKING WIRE MSH Filedv April 20, 1956 l5 Sheets-Shea?l 3 Dec. 13, 1988. H. E. WHITE 2,140,488

APPARATUS FOR MAKING WIRE MESH Filed April 2o, 1958 15 sheets-sheet 4 l j ME. wH/TE www De. 13, 1938. E wHlTE 2,140,488

' APPARATUS Fov MAKING WIRE MESH I Filed April 20, 1936 ]5 Sheets-Sheet 5 MMM APPARATUS FOR MKING WIRE MESH De. 13,' 1938.v n l H- E, W||1TE 2,40,488.

' APPARATUS FOR MAKING WIRE MESH Filed April 20, 1936 15 Sheets-Sheet 7 13, 1938'. i H E. WHlTE y 2,140.488

APPARATUS F013-MAKING WIRE MESH Filed April 2o, 193e 15 sheets-sheet a Dec. 13, 1938.

H. E. WHITE 2,140,488

APPARATUS FOR MAKING WIRE MESH y Filed April 2o, 193e 15 sheets-sheet 9 1 13, 193s. l H. E. WHITE Y 2,140,488

APPARATUS FOR MAKING WIRE MESH Filed 'April 2o, 195e '15 sheets-sheet 1o DC 13,1938- A H. E. WHITEv 2,140,488

l APPARATUS FOR MAKING WIRE MESH A l P Filed April 2o, .w56v y15sheets-sheet 11 I n I Y JJ 3mm www@ Dec. 13, 1938, H. E, WHITE 2,140,483

v APPARATUS FOR MAKING WIRE MESH Filed April 20, 1956 l5 Sheets-Sheet 12 Dec. 13, 1938. H. E. WHITE y 2,140,488

APPARATUS FOR MAKING WIRE MESH Filed April 20; 1936 `15 Sheets-Sheet 15 H- E. WHITE Dec. 131938. H. E. WHITE 2,140,488

` APPARATUS FOR MAKING WIRE MESH Filed April 20, 1936 l5 Sheets-Sheet 14 @www H. E. WHITE APPARATUS FOR MAKING WIRE MESH Filed April 2o, v1986 l5 Sheets-Sheet 15 Patented Dec. 13, 193s UNITED STATES '2,149,488 y APPARATUS Foa MAKING wma MEsn Herbert E. White, San Francisco, Calif., assigner to E. H. Edwards Company, a corporation of California Application April 20, v1936, Serial No. 75,488

38 Claims. (Cul. 14o-112) The present invention relates to apparatus for producing vopen mesh fabric of crossed strands, and particularly wire strands which are in continuous lengths.

The object is to provide an apparatus of a simple and eilective character that will produce such fabric accurately and veryelxpeditiously, the resultant sheet having peculiar characteristics that make it exceptionally strong.

Reference is made to divisional application,

kSerial Number 110,745 and application Serial Number 190,068 that describe and claim respectively the method of manufacturing wire mesh that is performed, and the product produced by the apparatus disclosed by this application. In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a plan view of an embodiment of the invention which is at present considered the preferable one.

, Figure 21s a side elevation of the same.

Figure 3 is a plan View of the main driving mechanism. AFigures 4, 4A and 4B together constitute a vertical longitudinal sectional view (with parts in elevation) on an enlarged scale of/the complete machine. f Figure 5 is a detail longitudinal sectional view cf one of the strand-laying arms.v

Figures 6 and 7 are respectively cross sectional views taken on the lines 6-6 and l-1 of Figure 4. Figures 8, 9 and 10 are cross sectional views I respectively on the lines 8-8, 9--9 and i0--I0 oi.'

Figure 4A. l

Figure 11 is a detail sectional view of one of the driving mechanisms for a mandrel conveyor.

Figure 12 is a detail sectional view on the line ,50 line lii-lfofliigure 14.

Figure 17 is a cross sectional view on the line Il-i lk of Figure 4B. i Figure 18-is a longitudinal sectional view on the line Il-Il of Figure 17.

Figure 19 is a plan -view of a portion of the discharge end of the mandrel and one of the ccnveyors that operates alongside the same.

Figure 20 is a vertical sectional view on the line 20-20 of Figure 19.

Figure 21 is a detail plan view of a portion of one of the holding and stretching conveyors.

Figure 22 is a side elevation on an enlarged scale of the mechanism shown in Figure 21, with a portion in section.

Figure 23 is a detail sectional view on the line 23-13 of Figure 21.

'Figure 24 is a vertical cross sectional View on the line 24-24 of Figure 20.

Figure 25 is an end elevation of one of the strand-holding heads showing the same in position to receive a strand.

lFigure 26 is a view similar to Figure 25, but illustrating the head turned to a position to interlock with the strand.

Figure 27 is a perspective view of a portion of the holding and stretching conveyor, showing one of the stems and its holding head.

Figure 28 is a view similar to Figure 19, but showing the extension of the holding and stretching conveyor beyond the same.

Figure 29 is a vertical longitudinally sectional view on the line 29-29 of Figure 28.

Figure 30 is an outside end elevation of the operating means for a pair ofholding stems.

Figure 3,1 is a detail plan view illustrating how the holding heads interlock with the selvage of the fabric.

Figure 32 is a sectional view on the line tZ-SE of Figure31.

Figure 33 is a'vertical cross sectional View on the line 33-33 of Figure 4B, showing the welding mechanism in elevation.

yFigure 34 is a side elevation of the Welding mechanism. 4

Figure 35 is a plan view of the driving mecha-- nism for the Welder operating from the main drive shaft.

Figure 361s a vertical sectional View on the line Figure 39 is Aa broken plan view of the lower i contactfdevice of the Welder unit.

Figure 39a is an enlarged view oi a portion of one of the contact bars.

` transverse stub shaft 6|.

Figure 40 is a plan view of a section of fabric produced by the machine.

Figure 41 is a perspective view'oi a portion of the fabric.

The machine of the invention as henein dislclosed is intended to provide a continuous length of open mesh fabric made up of a plurality `of layers, each of which is interrelated with each of the other layers, and the Whole fabric having sel ,vage edges which edges arecommon to all of the layers.

and 2, a body-forming mandrel 45 is, employed,

at one end of which are two carrier drums designated 66 and 41 respectively, which delivers sets of strands to the mandrel on which said strands are Wrappedin oppositedirections to form coils. The opposite end of this mandrel to the `carrier drumsl 46 and `41 is tapered and flared, as illustrated generally at 46, and means are provided for collapsing the tubular body formed en the mandrel 45, and stretching'it laterally into a double Walled sheet which is carried through a welding apparatus 49 that welds the various strands at their crossing points and thus produces the nished fabric. i y

Considering now more particularly the structure -as shown in greater detail in Figures 4, 4A and 4B, a central spindle or axle 56 is ilxedly mounted at one end in a Isuitable standard f and. extends through the carrier drums and to Ithe end 48 ofthe mandrel 45. On this drumis journaled a tubular shaft 52 having bearings at 53 in anotherstandard 54 adjacent to the standard 5|. This shaft has fixed to it the drum 46 that is directly adjacent to the receiving end of the mandrel 45, and has an axis of rotation coincident with the axis of said mandrel. 'As shown the drum 46 consists of heads 54 connected by tie bars 55, and on said bars are mounted sets of strand-holding magazines in the form of wireholding spools 56, ve being shown in each set and there being six of said sets, though the num- 46 isrotated from a main drive shaft 51 (see Figures 1 and 3), which extends longitudinallyy alongside the lower portion of the machine and may be driven in turn by a motor 58 suitably geared thereto. On this shaft is fixed a bevel gear 59 meshing with another bevel gear 66 on a The st ub shaft carries a worm 62` that is in mesh with a large worin gear 63 fixed to the tubular drivingshaft 52 on which the drum 46 is mounted.

' The drums 46 and 41 are in tandem relation` and as shown are on a common axis. The drum 41 consists of spaced heads 64 and 65 'carried by another tubular shaft 66 that is journaled, as shown at 61 on the tubular shaft 52. The heads 64 and 65 are connected by tie bars 66 that also i carry strand-holding magazines in the form of Referring first to the general-views, Figures l,

anonce Referring now to the mandrel 45, and particularly to Figures 4A andllB the sameis generally of skeleton formation, having spaced heads 14 and 15 on which are mounted a series of endless conveyor chains 16 whose outer stretches move away from the drums and form in effect a tubular structure. These conveyor chains are provided at intervals with sets of outstanding lugs 11 that engage behind the strands to move the same along the mandrel. At the base of these lugs 11 are stop or guide plates 18 on which the stran'ds ride. The bottom chain of the setl is shown more particularly Vin Figures lll and 16l and has its outer stretch preferably supported by guides 19 on which the outstanding stems 96 of the chains run, thus preventing the ldownward sagging of this particular conveyor.

Referring now backto Figures l, 2, 4 and 4A, it will be noted that between the end of the drum i6 an'd the mandrel @l5 there is journaled a ring member 6i, the supporting bearing 92 of which is in the form of a cradle 63. This ring has its periphery in the form fof a worm gear 84 driven by a worm 65 that is geared, as shown at 86, in Figure 3, to the main drive shaft 51. The rotation of the ring 8| is in the same direction as is the `drum 41 and it is connectedv thereto by tie bolts 91 on which are spacer sleeves 96. The ring 9| is also connected to the head 64 by tubular guides 69 that are open-ended, and through each of which slidably pass the wires or strands from one of the sets of spools 69.

Secured to the ring 8| and projecting longitudinally over the adjacent end of the mandrel 45 is a series of strand-laying arms 90, each having a set of guide rollers or other suitable devices 9| over `which the strands or Wires issuing from the 'tubes 89 pass. The head 54 of the drum 46, which lies substantially 'Within the ring 8| carries other strand-laying arms 92 that have guide rollers 93, over which the strands or wires issuing from the spools 56 pass, each arm preferably acting upon the Wires coming from` one of the sets of spools.

The operation of the apparatus as thus described is as follows: As the two spool-carrying drums are rotated in opposite directions, and one set of laying arms 92 has a path inside the path of the other set and said arms rotate in opposlte directions, it will be clear that each arm Wraps around the mandrel a plurality of strands in the form of continuouscoils, those of one set of arms, as 92, laying tiiese strands upon ,they

conveyor in one direction and the other arms 99 laying a set of thestrands in anfopposite direction on the conveyor from the rst set, the strands being spaced apart.

A different type of fabric may be manufactured by rotating vthe spool carriers in the same direction, or by using a single carrier. .The fabric resulting from this operation will not have interwovenstrands, but all of the strands on one side will run in one direction and all of the strands running in the other direction Will be on vthe other side of the fabric.

As these strands are laid, the outer stretches of the conveyors 16 are continuously moving along the mandrel 45 away from the laying arms. Consequently this continuously formed tubular body is continuously moving along the mandrel toward the discharge end of the same.

To effect the movement of the said conveyors 16 the mechanism shown in Figure 10 isl prefer' ably employed. The head 54 of the spool-carrying drum 46, as sht wn in Figure 4A has a tubular 75 `les Vsion 94 terminates at its outer end in a large bevel gear 96. Journaled in brackets 91 fixed to the `head 14 of the mandrel is a set of radial countershafts 98 having at their inner ends bevel gears 99 that are in mesh with the gear 96. These shafts also carry bevel gears |00 that are in mesh ,with transversely disposed bevel gears |01 having sprocket wheels |02 around which pass the conveyor chains 16.

In addition tothe above described conveyor chains 16 there are provided on opposite sides of the mandrel 45 two special conveyors for engaging with the opposite sides of the tubular fabric body and causing the same to collapse and flatten out so that the upper and lower walls of said body will be brought together and thus the said body is changed into a sheet of openmesh fabric having continuous strands woven back and forth diagonallyn across the same.

As already -explained the mandrel 45 has its delivery end tapering from above and below to a substantial transverse edge, and it Ais also ared to said edge. In other words, the said transverse end or edge is longer than the cross sectional diameter. of the tubular portion of the mandrel. As the said tubular portion travels down this tapered part, it is caused to collapse and widen, the above mentioned special conveyors which are for the purpose of assisting in or effecting this operation, while they also hold the wires taut and in proper relation and lcarry the fabric forward. It is to be understood that one of these conveyors is on each sidel of the mandrel, and as they' are preferably duplicates, a detail showing of one, it is believed', will be sufficient for both. 1

Referringrst to Figure 1, it will be noted that these conveyors, designated generally by the reference numeral |03 extend from the discharge end of the mandrel 45, and have divergent portions |04 that operate parallel to the divergent sides of thetapered end 48 of the mandrel, and then extendy in parallel relation, as shown at |05 through the welding apparatus 49.

Considering now in greater detail these conveyors, and referring to Figures 19 and 28 each employs two `endless chains |06 located in spaced relation and operating in parallelism. The links of said conveyor chains are provided with guide openings |01 through which extend spindles |08 that are rotatable in said openings. Each spindle has at its inner end a head |09 provided with a transverse slot ||0, into which the portion of a strand that is to form the selvage edge of the fabric sheet, is adapted'to pass (see Figure 25).

. The portion of the head behind this. slot is provided with `a socket that radially widens from the axis in vboth directions, so that the slot||0 constitutes an entrance throat thereto (see Figure 32). The spindles |08 arearranged in pairs and at their outer end are inter-connected by segmental gears ||2 so that when one is turned in one direction, the other will be turned in the other direction. One of the spindles of each set is furthermore provided at its outer endwith a crank arm ||3 carrying a roller ||4 that operates in-a cam track 5 suitably supported on standards I I6 ranged alongside the conveyors and so formed that at the rear ends o f the conveyors they will hold the spindles 'so lthat the slots. ||0 in the head aline with the wires.

The inner ends of the spindles |08 engage in runways or tracks 48a'in the side of the mandrel 40, the track serving as a guide and also permitting the spindles to move far enough so that the wires are securely engaged in the slots.

In order to draw the edges of the tubular fabric out to flatten it as it moves forwardly the spindles |06 are moved rearwardly as they progress with the fabric. 'This is accomplished by means of a camtrack ||1 that is parallel to the cam track H5 and in which run rollers ||8 mounted `on pins I9 that extend vertically from the links of the chains |06. Their operation is to cause spindles |08 to move inwardly orv outwardly through the guide openings |01.

These conveyors and cam tracks are so arranged that at the discharge end of the mandrel 45, just in advance of the tapered portion 49, the spindles are moved inwardly, as illustrated in 'Figure 24, so that the strand wires will enter the slots ||0, after which the cam track ||5 is so offset that the spindles successively will be caused to turn from the position shown in Figure 25 to the position shown in Figures 26 and 32. The strands will thusbe locked in the lheads because they are now out of alignment with the slots ||0. Therefore it will be evidentI that as the interlooked spindles ltravel along the divergent portions |04 of the conveyor which is alongside the tapered portion 48 of the mandrel,

the upper and lower walls of the tubular fabric,

. crossed strandsof the lower layer, and thus the tubular body, which'-v initially was of a really coarse or large mesh,'has been transformed into a sheet with a mesh of half the size. Thestrands moreover are continuous so that the selvage is formed by the looped portions. In other words each strand runs back and forth continuously through the different layers.

'I'he sheet as thus assembled is next passed through the welding apparatus 49, where preferably the wires at their crossing points are welded together. While it may not be necessary to weld each cross, this may be readily accomplished, but whether each is done orv whether some are left free, the crossed wires of each of thel two main layers are welded together and the crossed Wires of the two layers are welded each to the other, so that the individual layers of each main layer are thus secured together and the two main layers are alsov welded together. As a consequence the product has normally interwoven strands welded together.

The welding mechanism preferably employed is as follows:

A main frame composed of spaced side walls |25 and a top wall |26 is positioned beyond the discharge end of the mandrel 45. The conveyors |03 pass through the welding apparatus adjacent the side walls |25, the chains |06 passing about wheels |21 mounted on la suitable supporting structure |26 `mounted beyond the Welder. l

kThe cam track ||5 is arranged to release the edges of the fabric from the slots and the ends of the spindles |00 as they approach the. Wheels |21, the fabric being completed at that time.

Transversely mounted between and journaled in suitable bearings in the'side walls |25 is a main cross shaft |29 that is also located between the flights of the chains 06. The main drive shaft 51 of the machine through pinions |30 drives a jack shaft |3|, which in turn drives a vertical shaft |32 on the outside of the wall |25, by means of bevel gears |33. The main cross shaft |29 is driven from the vertical shaft |32 by a worm |34 on the latter and engaging a worm gear |35 mounted on the former.

A sprocket wheel |36 is mounted on the end of the main cross shaft |29 and by means of a sprocket chain |31 and sprocket wheel |38 mounted on a cross shaft |39 supported on the structure |28 and upon which the wheels |21 may alsobe mounted, which drives the chains |06 of the conveyors |03.

Welding contacts for the lower sides of the joints of the wire strands are provided as follows: 4Iwo cr-oss shafts |40, |4| arejournaled between the side walls |25 of the machine and located between the flights of the chains |06. The shaft |4|\, which is toward the intake end of thewelder is driven from the main cross shaft |29 by means of a sprocket |42 mounted. thereon, a sprocket |42a mounted on the main shaft of a sprocket chain |421). Each ofthe shafts |40, |4| rcarries a plurality of sprocket wheels |43 preferably equally spaced throughout ayportion of its length approximately equal to the fabric yand located beneath the path of the fabric.

vChains |44 pass about the sprocket wheels |43 on the shafts |40 and Uil, these chains carrying between them and mounted upon their outer surfaces a plurality of copper cross bars |45 that act as contacts for the welding operations, and that are spaced to register with each succeeding row Vof crossing points in the fabric as the operation progresses.

The copper bars |45 have specially formed tops Each bar ure 39) for the reception of electrodes, as will be later'd'escribed, and angular channels |41 for the accommodation of vthe strands between the sockets and the edges of the bars. As each bar cornes into position beneath ka row of the crossings of the wires, the joints are received in the sockets |46, while the higher portions |48 of the bars extend up through the meshes. Thisstructure serves to positively position thejoints to be welded beneath the electrodes. It is to be noted that the sockets in adjacent bars bear a staggered relation due to the pattern of the mesh.

crossings.

'Y In order to provide'a firmsupport for the welding operation, a table is provided upon which the copper bars |45 move as they progress forwardly.

The table consists of a plurality of plates |49 supported by brackets |50 mounted upon the shafts |40 and |4|. The chains |44 run in channels |5| between the plates and the bottoms of the upper flight of bars rest on the tops of the plates.

An electrode supporting frame |52 is mounted for vertical reciprocation in the frame of the y lower lmembers |59, |60 are of non-conducting material. l

To reciprocate the electrode frame, a cam shaft nthe copper bars |45.

|6| is mounted above the frame and journaled inv the side walls |25. The cam shaft is driven through bevel gears |62 from the vertical shaft |32. Cams |63, having each a single projection, are mounted on the shaft |6|, and they operate against rollers |64 and |65 mounted respectively above and belowthe cams in a casing |66. The bottom of each casing |66 is secured to the top flange of the upper member |58 of the electrode frame; and the top member bears a vertical guide rod |61 passing through a guide in top wall |26 of the frame, the end of the rod |61 being provided with a cap structure |68 cooperating with a compression spring |69. It will be appreciated that the operation of shaft |61 will cause the frame to be `lowered at intervals by the cam, the frame being normally in raised position by the action of the springs |69.

Electrodes are supported by the frame in the following manner. The horizontal members |58, |59 and |60 are spaced bycentrally located walls |10 and |1| respectively, which are composed of insulating material. On each side of the wall |10 and having centers spaced a distance equal to the center spacing of the meshes of fabric are rowsof sleeves |12 ofinsulating material, such as bre, and having central bores |13. The lower ends of the sleeves are engaged in openings of the middle transverse members |59. The sleeves on'one side are staggered with relation to those on the other side and they are so located as to provide registration of the electrodes which they hold with the sockets |46 of Set screws |14 passing through the lower flange of the upper transverse member |58 have downwardly extending ends entered into the central bores.

The electrodes |15 are in the form of elongated rods, the upper ends of which are received in the bores |13 of the sleeves |12. The electrodes extend downwardly through the transverse member |60, preferably through bushings |16. The set screws |14 serve to adjust the pressure on coil springs |11 that are interposed betweenE the ends of the set screws and the ends of the electrodes. Insulating disks |11a are interposed between the springs and the ends Vci. the set kscrewsl Stop members, such as the cross pins |18, are provided to prevent the electrodes from falling out when the electrode frame is raised.

Current is supplied to the electrodes from a plurality of transformers |19 mounted on suitable cross supports |80. The secondary coils of these transformers are provided with flexible lead wires |8|, the lead wires from each transformer being connected to two adjacent electrodes.` 'I'he path of the current is from one electrode through the joint to be welded, the top of which is en- Y gaged by the electrode, to the copper bar through which itvlows to the other electrode, thus welding both adjacentjoints. f

The operation of the Welder unit is as follows, it being understood that all gearing is so arranged as to produce proper synchronization of parts.' The flattened fabric, conveyed by the chains |06 from the mandrel is brought into engagement with the copper bars |45 of the chains |44, and the meshes are received in the sockets |46. As the movement of the fabric continues, a row of strand crossings is brought beneath each bank of electrodes. Asshown in Figure 39 there are two rows cf crossings between the electrode banks. one having been already welded by the rst bank, and the other being the next to be operated upon by the second bank.

vIl() When the strand crossings are in their positions the cam projection |63 will operate against the roller |65 to lower the electrode frame |52, bringing the electrodes into contact with the tops of the upper strands of the crossings positioned beneath them. The springs |11 are sumciently strong to provide adequate pressure for efflcient Welding. A very briefl period is sufilcient to form strong welds, in fact it is so short that there is no necessity for interrupting the forward motion of the fabric, which is delivered from the discharge end of the Welder, where it is released from the conveyors |03.

A section of the fabric manufactured by this machine is shown in plan in Figure 40, and in perspective in Figure 41. Top extends across the entire top of the fabric, crossingk over each of the strands running in the other direction. When -this strand reaches the edge, it follows the selvage for a short distance and then, as strand 4 recrosses the fabric on the bottom, and under all strands running in the other direction. The notations Top, 2, 3, and 4 indicates the order of the strands from the top of the fabric downwardly. The

-wires making thel strands Top and 4, are those that are wrapped on the .outside of the tubular fabric formed on the mandrel. The strands 2 and 3 always lie between the strands Top and 4, each strand 2 crossing above the strand 3 and running parallel withvthe strands 4, and at each edge changing direction to become strand 3, parallel to strands Top and running beneath the strands 2.

From the foregoing, it isV thought that the construction, operation and many advantages of the herein described invention will be apparent.

to those skilled in the art without further de scription, and it will be understood that various changes in the size, shape, proportion and minor details of construction may be resorted'to without departing from the spirit' or sacrificing anyv of the advantages of .the invention.

What I claim, is:

1. In apparatus for making open meshk fabric, mechanism for forming 'a plurality of layers, of reticulated material, the said mechanism for forming each layer comprising devices for laying sets of strands, the strands of one set crossing those of the other and each layer being composed of the -same sets of strands that form another layer, means for causing the said layers to lie one upon the other with the strands in crossed relation .to and between the strands ofthe other layer, and means forsecuring the strands of one layer to the strands of the other l'ayer at their crossing points.

2. In apparatus for making open'mesh fabric, mechanism for forming spaced layers of reticulated material, each layer comprisingsets of spaced parallel strands, the strands of the different sets of each layer being in crossed relation to those of the strands forming another set located in crossed diagonal relation to one another, means for bringing said layers together so that onewillylie upon the other with each set of strands of one layer lying between and substantially parallel to one 'setiof strandsv of the other layer and vcorrespondingly crossing the other set of strands ofsaid other layer, andmeans for uniting the crossed'strands of each layer together and uniting the strands of-one layer to the strands ofthe other layer at their crossingy The. strand labeledv the combination with mechanism for laying layers of strands in respectively oppositely extending diagonal coils to form a continuous tubular body of oppositely laid and crossed diagonal coils of Wire strands, l continuously flattening said tubular body at one end into substantially flat layers that lie one upon the other, with the crossed strands of one-layer lying between the crossed strands ofthe other, and means for welding together the crossed strands of each layer and the strands of the two layers at their crossing points.

4. In apparatus for making open mesh fabric, the combination with a rotatable carrier, of strand-carrying magazines mounted thereon and rotating therewith, a body-forming mandrel member, rotatable strand-laying means extending axially of the mandrel and having axially spaced strand guides for receiving the strands from the magazine and wrapping the same upon the said'mandrel to form a tubular body, and means for moving the wound strands along the body as they are wrapped thereon by the laying the combination with a rotatable carrier, of

strand-holding magazines mounted thereon and rotatable therewith, a forming mandrel including a plurality of conveyors moving away from the carrier, and strand-laying devices rotating with the carrier, said devices taking the strands from the magazines and laying the same in coils around the mandrel and in position to be carried away by the conveyors.

6. In apparatus for making open mesh fabric, the combination' with a rotatable carrier drum, of strand-holding spools mounted thereon and rotatable therewith, a body-forming mandrel located at one end of the drum in substantial alinement therewith and including conveyors at different sides thereof having active stretches that move longitudinally away from the drum, and strand-laying arms rotatable with the drum and overlying the mandrel and conveyors to take the strands from the spools and wind the strands in coils about the mandrels and on the conveyors, said conveyors carrying the coils as they are formed away from the drum.

7. In apparatus for making open mesh fabric, the combination with a rotatable carrier drum, of setsA of strand-holding spools located along the drum and rotatable therewith, a body forming mandrel located at one end of the drum in substantialalinement therewith and` including conveyors at different sides thereof having active stretches that move longitudinally away from the drum, and strand-laying arms rotatable with the drum and overlying the mandrel and conveyors, each of said laying arms having means for engaging a plurality of strands from the spools and winding them' in sets of coils about the mandrels and on the conveyors, said conveyors carrying the coils away from the drum as they are formed. 8. In apparatus for making open mesh fabric, the combination f with a tubular body forming mandrel, of a plurality of rotatable carriers, strand holding magazines mounted on the carriers, means for rotating the carriers in opposite directions, and means for laying the strands from the magazines in opposite directions about the mandrel to form a tubular body of strands 9. In apparatus for making open mesh fabric, the combination with lan elongated tubular bodyforming mandrel. of a plurality of rotatable carriers located in tandem relation at one end of 

